University of St Andrews unveils plans for 700-bed student halls in bid to take pressure off rental market

St Andrews University is pressing ahead with plans to provide an extra 700 student beds in town to help take the pressure off the private rental market.

In May, the university unveiled plans for a major new student residence on the site of Albany Park, the outdated 1970s accommodation at East Sands which was demolished in 2020.

A Planning Application Notice (PAN) was put forward – outlining their intent to seek planning permission from the council. Public consultations have been held over the summer.

Now, the university has applied for full planning permission for the student development, working alongside Campus Living Villages.

“There is a significant shortage of purpose-built student accommodation in St Andrews. The proposed development will provide a positive solution to this problem in the town, on a site identified and established for that use which also has the benefit of an extant planning permission. This in turn will help alleviate the housing pressures on the St Andrews and East Fife area,” a planning statement explains.

The proposed development is part of a series of significant investments designed to provide additional purpose-built accommodation for students over the next few years.

The university was previously granted permission for a similar development across a larger site area in 2021.

However, developers said the pandemic, worldwide economic downturn and the subsequent hike in the cost of building materials made St Andrews’ original plans for the site unfeasible.

Developers have since made some changes to their plans and are seeking permission once more.

The revised designs have increased the number of student beds the development would provide from 672 to 710.

Over 30% of the bedrooms at Albany Park will be standard rooms which offer a lower price point from the ensuite rooms.

If planning permission is granted, work on the development will begin in Spring 2024.

The council will now consider the full application and make a decision in due course.